Everton and Liverpool meet in relatively inglorious circumstances on Sunday, the pursuit of sixth place a far cry from the heady days of the 1980s when titles were at stake.

For Moyes, the explanation is simple. While Manchester thrives, the Merseyside clubs remain in ageing stadiums desperately pursuing investment.

“At the moment, the strength of the Manchester clubs is overpowering,” said Moyes. “Liverpool have obviously been much closer to the Manchester teams than Everton, but we’ve had a longer journey. We’re closing that gap but not close enough.

“Both the Manchester clubs hold stadiums with over 70,000 for one, 50,000 the other. The corporate facilities play a big part, especially with the Financial Fair Play coming in.

"So much is going to be about relying on marketing teams and how many [executive] boxes you can sell, season tickets you sell and dinners you sell.

“At Everton we have very few rooms to cater and very few boxes to fill. We’re going to find it difficult to keep up because the marketing side is so important. Keeping up and then to catch up is going to be even harder.

“We’ve got to somehow generate revenue by even thinking about naming rights for the stadium. Obviously they could do that because the club owns Goodison. Things like this are going to be relevant to both clubs if we’re going to hang in there with the top teams.”

Everton could finish above Liverpool for a second consecutive season, but Steven Gerrard says it would be “no big deal” because of the lowly league positions of the clubs.

“Yes, but they haven’t won anything have they?” said the Liverpool midfielder when asked about possibly being below their neighbours. “It’s nothing to finish sixth or seventh in this league. If Everton finish above us and their supporters are really happy and their players and everyone is really happy, then that’s up to them.

“But if we finish above Everton there will be no celebrating because it’s nothing really. It’s no big deal. We want to win the derby, of course we do.

"We want to finish above Everton, of course we do. But in the big picture is it really, really important? I don’t know. Maybe not.”

Gerrard revealed that contract negotiations are under way at Anfield.

“It is something that will get sorted at the end of the season,” he said. “They want me to extend, I want to extend, it’s just a matter of time, really. How long for I’m not too sure yet. It will get sorted.”

The Kop will display a mosaic before the game to show appreciation to Everton for their support to the Hillsborough families.

“Bill Kenwright’s speech in the Hillsborough service was really touching,” said Gerrard.

“All these years Everton have been with us and together as far as Hillsborough is concerned. So big credit to them.”

Moyes added the relations between the clubs are as good as he has known.

“There’s been something stronger than football in the last year or two,” he said. “I am sure Liverpool would have given Everton the same respect had it been the other way around.”